The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-24

one of the angels. viii make up to wife Tor a
husbands neglect of her. And she USED 10 look
forward to the child's growing up ana growing
into all she wanted him to be, ana her having
him and his love when she was oId-and IL was
about all she had to look forward TO, ana good
ness knows she hasn't much to look backward
on, for her whole married life before tnat paDy
came had just been slavery to his lolks-tne
old father and mother who gave MIN the place
if he'd take care of them; and they saw to 1t
that he did. and that she did too; they just
walked right over her. and sat down her,
and she was soft enough to cry when they died.
And this was the thanks she got for all her
slavery-there came along man from the West
wanting to adopt a boy. and Harry didn't know
anything about the man; he might want to
bring the boy up to be pirate for all he could
say. And he just gave the boy to that man out
and out; and Essie begged and pleaded and
argued and cried and went to bed sick, sick
with the child's crying well her own.
Twas no use. The child belonged to him; and
he gave him to that man, and condition the
man made was that the child should never see
or hear of the Farnsworths again And he took
him off; and Essie doesn't even know his name
to-day, and she'll never the child again. and
she almost went mad And she's poor, thin
shadow without JOY in lfe-she doesn't seem
to care for anything-she doesn't even care
l m not the suffering saint she is. l reproached
him. Children are noisy in the house. are
theyF says L And you want peace. You
make desert and you call it peace, says l.
1t wouldn't be peace long with you in it, you
vixenp says he. All the same, you wanted me
in it badly enough once says l. And SO he did.
it's reason for Thanksgiving, ever there was
one, that didn't marry Harry Farnsworth. /
guess Id have strangled him. ] couldn't de-
spise him any more than dol Humphreys
well-Harry Farnsworth! And then there's my
other sister-Louisa How she did set her
heart on Larry Well1nan! And didn't wonder.
He was the most engaging fellow. And hand
some, too, handsome archangel-his great
blue eyes full of heavenly light. and his yellow
hair in masses, and his face as if it was cut out
of marble; and when looked at him l always
thought of the morning star. And people said
he was going to be anything he chose-minister.
senator. President And he had a little some
thing and they got married. And she was in
this world or the next And SO was he. And
the first thing he knew ne came home HON. one ,Iie
boots on. And she's never had
days peace from that hour to this. And he's
never come to anything. and they live from
hand to mouth any way they can. She never
knows how he's coming home. drunk or sober,
and she never dares to go anywhere with him,
she's so sure of being ashamed out of her life by
his getting SOS to be foolish; and she never
dares to have any company because she couldn't
endure their seeing him and scorning him, she
trying TO keep secret what all the world knows.
And she sits up for him gifts, thinking this is
his STEP and that is his step. in des9air when it
isn't his step, and in worse despair when at last
it is; running to the window, and running to
the door, holding her breath to listen, and her
pulse huttering and stopping and racing
again, enough to give her heart disease, sick
with disgust when he does come, and wishing
she could die. and loving him she can't bear
the thought of going and leaving him-her life
just one long pang OF fear and shame. yes
reason for thanksgiving in the fact that Larry
Wellnan isn't my husband! Three brother-in-
laws, and not a decent one among them.
don't know as that is much reason for thanks
giving, to be sure but perhaps they're as good
as the general run. The way mothers bring up
their boys. iattering their vanity and pamper-
ing their selfshness, and making the girls wait
on them by inches, would spoil the cherubim
and seraphim if they were boys. ] must say
think the world would be great deal better off
them. They're animals, they re tyrants, they're
animated appetites The good Ones If there
are any, are too self-righteous to live, and the
bad ones are too Ubiquitous to be allowed to die!
What a woman wants to marry for who's got
enough to live on without marrying, passes me.
She can't go anywhere, she can't do anything,
she can't give away, she can't invite home, she
can't draw an independent breath. She is a
cypher a nonenity. she hasn't right to herself
or children. her labor her property.
Marry2 And what in the world fort To lose
her freedom to give herself a master. to make
the Lord more for one thing than another, it's
that I'm single woman and going to remain
so! There goes that bell again. and there's only
Miss Trudy ran into the pantry and seized the
pie, and hurrying to the door. opened it, and
thrust out the the Rls dne ep 1hI
AZ don't want your pie, Trudy," said deep
voice from the darkness, and a hand laid hold
form came into the beam of light and mounted
the step, and entered the door, and closed it be-
hind them 81 don't want your pie, Trudy, I
want you"
iGeoffreyi Godfrey Mastersq" she cried in a
failing voice. and caught his for support
an instant. IL didn't know you'll didn't ex-
mo" he said 'sI don't believe you did. No
body did 1 didn't myself. didn't suppose my
self I'd ever see you again" And he led her
in and seated her in the chair she had just left.
and took another opposite, himself.
Where did you come from, Geoffrey7' STAN
mered Miss 1,rudy' when she could speak
'.And where are you goingp she resumed,
after, little.
'HThe fact is, Trudy," he said pleasantly. after
warming his hands at the blaze, and quite as if
they parted yesterday, II havn't been very
us aw w her Te Fl after
twenty-five years of it. tired out. without dol
lar in my poe ket, or any clothes but these I
had strangers in it. and 1 looked at the old
graves that held all my people, and I weren't
going to become tramp. and there was nothing
left for me but the river out here. And 1 saw
this light and came this way, didn't know Why
and looked in the window and saw you. You
havn't changed much in twenty-five years,
Trudy. I'd have known you anywhere. The
same old rose in your cheek, the same soft fire
in your eye. I've been looking at you this last
hour and it's all been rushing over me, the
things I'd half-forgotten-the oldevenings under
the stars. the old days upon the river. What a
cursed fool was to go after fortune and leave
.fWer" said Miss Trudy, not without some
hesitation. We'll. you've come back"
''Yes; I've come back" And there was an
other brief silence.
? 'Geof," said Miss Trudy then. 'what sort of
life have you led since you've been gonel"
'.About the average Nothing much amiss.
Nothing at all to my credit"
Have you marriedF
mo There was always just enough remem-
brance of you to hinder
FLOWS your temperl"
''Same as ever"
Easy go lucky7"
perhaps So"
''You were always spendthrift," said Miss
Trudy.
when had money to spend. maybe"
''Not likely to be now then" said Miss Trudy
half to herself. However, JARED in a
family is enough and to spare. l suppose" she |
added presently. that you've had so much |
roaming you'd be glad to stay at homel"
Il. H.